A PONY which made a dash along the A12 after escaping from its paddock it today back at home after being reunited with its worried owners.Harry the adventurous Shetland pony got out of his enclosure on Pippin Farm in Copdock and went on a mile and a half scramble for freedom.

A PONY which made a dash along the A12 after escaping from its paddock it today back at home after being reunited with its worried owners.

Harry the adventurous Shetland pony got out of his enclosure on Pippin Farm in Copdock and went on a mile and a half scramble for freedom.

He was captured by police in Capel St Mary at about 1am on Tuesday, about two hours after he is thought to have escaped.

He was not returned to his home in Folly Lane, Copdock, until yesterday because initially officers were unable to trace his owners.

They called in Ipswich horse-lover Tom Walne who collected the pony in his lorry and took it back to his farm to care for it.

Mr Walne had himself lost ponies about five years ago after they were let out of their enclosure and from that time he had taken it upon himself to look after horses and ponies until their owners could be found.

He said: "When I got it home and under my farm lights I realised it wasn't well. It was very unsteady on its feet, it was frothing at the mouth and it was panting.

"We didn't know exactly what was wrong. It could have had a bit of colic, it could have eaten something it wasn't supposed to, it could have been stress because we think he was on the A12."

A vet was called but Harry's mysterious illness could not be pinpointed. Mr Walne looked after the sick pony throughout the night and the next day and Harry surprised his carers by making a full recovery.

Harry's owner Pauline Wyman discovered the pony, who is thought to be about 28 years old, was missing at about 5pm on Wednesday when she went to give him his evening feed.

"When we went out there he wasn't there," she said.

"I was told by a neighbour that the police had found a pony and were looking for an owner."

Suffolk Police put Mr Walne in touch with a relieved Mrs Wyman and the pair arranged a happy reunion.

But despite his hair-raising adventure Mrs Wyman didn't think Harry would suffer any lasting effects.

"He just plods around, he doesn't do too much," she said.

"He'll just think 'I've been out for a ride and I've come back'. He'll just go back in the field and think 'oh, I'm back home'."

And she issued a big thank you to Mr Walne for caring for Harry.

"I think it's incredibly generous," she said.